28 June 2013

Liam Gallagher goes from snarling to storming in this not-so-secret gig on the Other stage

It's the first proper morning of Glastonbury: you're tired, you're hungover and there's mud in some truly unexpected places. Let's face it, you're not exactly going to call James Blake to solve this situation, are you? Beady Eye, on the other hand, are just the tonic we need. Liam Gallagher swaggers up with the expression of someone about to invite the microphone to step outside – then just stands there, staring, snarling, reminding the crowd that he's one of the few rock stars around with real star charisma. It's a brilliant opening to the Other stage's bill – even if the "secret" element of their appearance was rather ruined by a massive Beady Eye banner that had been draped across the stage.

The brassy Sitek brass of BE tracks such as Second Bite of the Apple power the set along, and when things begin to lull, during an inadvisable space rock wig-out, Liam unleashes a couple of Oasis songs: Rock'n'roll Star (dedicated to sons Lennon and Gene) is as menacing as the clouds circling the stage, and produces the excellent ad lib: "I'm a rock'n'roll star … at 11.30 in the fucking morning!"

Beady Eye tracks such as The Roller are, it has to be said, shown up by the former bands' glories, but closing track Bring the Light matches their peaks for sheer verve at least.

"You've been amazing," says Liam, and you worry that perhaps he has become a little too obsequious. Then he steps up to the mic again and snarls: "But not as good as us."